Brace Yourselves, Facebook Algorithm Changes are Coming

Facebook has done an excellent job of constantly keeping advertisers, brands and users on their toes. Recently, some brands and advertisers have had to re-tool their content strategy and embrace the advertising platform in order to recover the organic reach that algorithm changes had caused them to lose. Now, brands are taking notice because new Facebook algorithm changes are affecting how third-party app posts appear in Newsfeed.

Implicit app posts — meaning, posts where an app has posted on behalf of a user without them necessarily allowing or realizing it — have decreased in visibility by a whopping 75%. However, explicit app posts — posts where a user has given explicit permission for a post to be shared across apps and across platforms — have been given greater visibility. The algorithm change was made in response to greater engagement occurring around explicitly shared app posts (not surprising) and in response to an increasing number of users marking implicit posts as spam or ignoring them altogether (again, not surprising). As a result, Facebook is rewarding brands whose apps push explicit sharing, rather than implicit.

What can you do to ensure that your app’s posts are seen?

Revamp the app.

Revise the app’s appearance so users know they can control what posts go where. For example, Instagram now allows users to manually select which channels to share their images across, image by image. Automatic cross-posting is no longer an option. Giving users that kind of control will reflect well on your app in general, and keep the Facebook powers-that-be happy.

Get rid of automatic posting.

I use an app that lets me know when my favorite bands are in my area. Unfortunately, when I recently added a number of new artists to track, I discovered that my adding activity had been automatically shared across Facebook. Thanks to the algorithm change, the odds are good that no one would see that activity, but getting rid of it altogether is even better. Your users will be less annoyed, and you’ll remain in good standing with Newsfeed.

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